Cleaning device for revolving clearer rolls



March 19, 1957 F. H. MARTIN CLEANING DEVICE FOR REVOLVING CLEARER ROLLSOriginal Filed Dec. 14, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l sz 54 4.2so 26' 12 14 ze s4g' c f6 Cw @E J r mw E m T N NR .R EA 0 WM n /r M M 0 F a .z A/m u w 11 `Iva March 19, 1957 F, H, MAR-[1N 2,785,423

CLEANING DEVICE FOR REvoLvING CLEARER RoLLs original Filed Dec. 14, 1951s she'ets-sheet 2 14 1244 44 4240 j", gr, ,2 l w' ma JNVENTOR.

March 19, 1957 F. H. MARTIN Original Filed Dec. 14. 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet3 A Tmp/vens United States Patent C l CLEANING DEVICE FllSEVOLVlNGCLEARER Furman H. Martin, Lancaster, S. C., assigner to The SpringsCotton Mills Original application December 14, 1951, Serial No. 261,648,now Patent No. 2,739,326, dated March 27, 1956. Divided and thisapplication September 6, 1955, Serial No. 536,516

This invention relates to revolving clearer rolls such as are used astop roll clearers in spinning frames and other textile draftingequipment, and more particularly to a device adapted for cleaning theseclearer rolls with exceptional speed and efficiency. This is a divisionof my co pending application Serial No. 261,648, tiled December 14,1951. Revolving top clearer rolls are conventionaily formed with severalWooden body members of cylindrical shape spaced on a mounting shaft orrod, which is usually also formed of wood, so that the wooden bodymembers are disposed to ride on the top rolls in a spinning frame or thelike. These wooden body members are each provided with a covering, ofwoolen cloth or the like, that has an aiiinity for the ber being draftedso that any loose liber adhering to the top rolls during the draftingoperation is picked up by these cloth covers to prevent fouling of thetop rolls by this loose liber. Initially the clearer roll cloth coversact directly to pick up the loose fibers from the top rolls, and thensubsequently the accumulating fibers on the cloth covers make the pickup until a mass of about one-fourth of an inch in thickness has beenaccumulated.

lt is. necessary to remove this. brous yaccumulation from the clearerrolls at more or less regular intervals because when the accumulation isallowed to become too great the bers tend to separate from theaccumulated brous mass and fall into the ber being drafted to form thedefects commonly referred to as slubs This difiiculty is particularlytroublesome when revolving clearer rolls are used with long draftspinning apparatus, and it is especially important in this instance toprovide for cleaning the clearer rolls with careful regularity andadequate frequency.

lt has been standard practice in the past to clean these clearer rollsby hand, which at best is a time consuming and expensive operation, andwhich is almost impossible to arrange satisfactorily in long draftspinning operations where the tending of the top clearer rolls is acritic-al factor. rIhere have been some prior proposals for cleaningthese clearer rolls by mechanical means, but none of these proposalshas` proven satisfactory because they required the clearer rolls to beremoved and cleaned at a distance from the spinning equipment andtherefore required an impractical amount of handling.

According to the present invention a cleaning device for top clearerrolls is` provided for operation directly at the spinning apparatus, sothat the clearer rollsl may be removed for cleaning and replaced withgreat handling eiciency and at a suiciently rapid rate` to provide formaintaining, the clearer rolls in good operating condition at only afraction of the cost heretofore incurred when this operation wasattempted by hand.

Briefly described, the cleaning device of the present inventioncomprises a driven ber stripping rolll with adjacent means incorporatinga rotatable carrier for progressively receiving and temporarilysupporting the clearer rolls in spaced relation, and means for indexingthis rotatable carrier so that ythe supported clearer rolls 2,785,423Patented Mar. 19, 1957 ICC are successively presented at the strippingroll for cleaning. These operating elements of the device are arrangedaccording to the present invention in a mobile housing that may bereadily moved for operation directly at the spinning frame, and areassociated with means by which the housing may be adapted for collectingthe fibrous waste cleaned from the clearer rolls so that it needs to beremoved and disposed of only at extended intervals.

These and other features of the clearer roll cleaning device of thepresent invention are described in further detail below, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a representativeembodiment of the cleaning device of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is -a vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 inFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail taken substantially ion theline 3--3 in Pig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation illustrating the arangement of a preferredform of doflng roll employed according to the present invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the cleaning device of thepresent invention is shown arranged with a suitable frame structureforming housing as indicated generally by the reference numeral itl.`The previously mentioned liber stripping roll is shown at l2 journalledfor operation in a hood portion ld of the frame structure lil, with oneend of the mounting shaft la for this stripping roll l2 extending fromthe frame structure liti to carry -a pulley member 18 for a beltconnection as at Ztl from a drive motor .'22 suitably supported at thebase of the frame structure itl.

The above noted hood portion lll of the frame structure itl issufficiently open at the front of the device to allow cleaning contactof the stripping roll l2 with top roll clearers C presented serially forcleaning by a rotatable carrier disposed externally 'of the housingformed by the frame structure l0 at the open front portion thereof, asindicated generally at 24. This rotatable carrier 24 comprises spaceddiscs 26 which are formed with regularly spaced notches as at 28 thatare shaped for loosely receiving and supponting the clearer rolls C sothat they are free to revolve in these notches 2b.

On an are adjacent the stripper roll 12, guide bars 3i? are arrangedconcentrically with the rotatable carrier discs 26 to provide means forpositioning the clearer rolls C properly in the notches 28 as therotatable carrier Z4 is operated to present them at the stripping rolll2 for cleaning. These guide bars Si) are pivoted at: a lower straightshank portion 32 on a pivot rod 34 secured to the frame structure lli asat 36 (see Fig. 2.), and are also formed with upper straight shankportions 33 adapted for a clevis connection as at dit with positioningrods i2 secured in extending relation on the frame structure lil byopposed adjusting nuts as at da, so that the extending disposition ofthe positioning rods l2 may be varied `as desired to shift the arcuateportion of the guide bars 3d for guaging the depth of cleaning Contactof the clearer rolls C with the stripping roll l2.

Qperation of the rotatable carrier 2d for presenting the clearer rolls Cserially at `the stripping roll l2 is pro vided through an indexingmechanism incorporating a ratchet wheel do which is carried on a commonmounting shaft Lid with the notched carrying discs 2o, and which isengaged by a pawl member Si? arranged on an operating handle which islikewise carried on the mounting shaft for pivoting movement betweenlimit stops disposed adjacently on the fra-me structure it) as at 54.This operating handle might, of course, be readily replaced by a tootpedal or a motor drive (not shown), if desired.

Proper alignment ot' the clearer `rolls C at the stripping roll 12 asthe notched carrier Idiscs 26 are indexed in this manner is accomplishedthrough a multi-faced cam 56 also carried on the mounting shaft 53 inrelation to a spring loaded cam follower 5d that is biased withsuiiicient pressure through a spring loading arrangement as at 6l) toposition the carrier discs 26 through the cani 56 firmly at each indexedposition until the indexing mechanism is again operated. As shown in thedrawings, the multifaced alignment cam 56 is formed for this purposewith a number of faces corresponding to the number of notches 28provided in the carrier discs 26.

All of the elements of the rotatable carrier 24 and its associatedindexing mechanism should bc keyed on the common mounting shaft 48 asindicated `in Figs. 2 and 3 at 48', or similarly assembled thereon, sothat the assembly may be readily maintained in time while allowinglateral adjustment of the notch discs 26 (through set screw fasteningmeans or the like as at 26 in Fig. l) to t clearer rolls C fromditierent gauge frames, `and it will be noted that the positioning rodsi2 for the guide bars 3i? are secured on the frame structure lo atelongated slots 42' for this same purpose.

ln order to maintain. the clearer rolls C in proper cleaning contactwith the stripping roll as they are presented by the rotatable carrier2d, a friction element or brake paddle 62 is mounted below the .point ofcleaning contact on a pivot shaft 64 which also carries spring loadingarms 66 adjacent each end from which tension springs 68 are extended.The pivot shaft 64 is arranged on the frame structure lt) in bearingbrackets as at 6d', and the tension springs 68 are extended to studmembers 70 secured at 'brackets 72 `on the frame structure lil byopposed adjusting nuts 74 which allow the tension of the springs 68 tobe adjusted as desired. The force of these springs 68 results in urgingthe friction element 62 to a pivoted position pressing the clearer rollsC against the retaining bars 3i) for the cleaning contact gaugedthereby, and also serves to cause the friction element 62 to impose adrag on the clearer roll C being cleaned so that it revolves at arelatively slow rate during the cleaning contact with the stripping rolll2 to allow the fibrous coating thereon to be cleaned to the bestadvantage.

ln operation, the clearer rolls C to be cleaned arc successively placedyin the notches 2S of the rota-table carrier discs 26 at the topmostposition of these notches 2E. Actuation of the indexing mechanismthrough the operating handle 52 results in advancing each clearer roll Cplaced in the notches 28 at this position to a succeeding sidewiseposition at which it is presented in cleaning contact with the strippingroll l2, with the retaining bars 3i? guaging the depth of cleaningcontact and the friction element 62 pressing the clearer roll C to theguaged cleaning ldepth and restraining its rotation for eifectivecleaning. Succeeding actuations of the indexing mechanism result inmoving a clearer roll C that has just been cleaned to the lowermostposition `of the rotating carrier notches 28, and simultaneouslypresenting a following clearer roll C at the stripping roll 12 forcleaning. During this movement of the cleaned clearer roll to thelowermost position of the notches 28, the brake paddle 62 pivots at itspivot shaft 64 to a position as shown by broken lines in Fig. 3 so as toallow passage of the cleaned clearer roll as it moves to the lowermostposition of 'the notches 28 and passes beyond the guide Ibars 3i) todrop from the carrier discs 26 as 4at C (see Fig. 2), the brake paddle62 spring ing back after each cleaned clearer roll passes in this mannerfor Contact with the following clearer roll C simultaneous-ly presentedfor cleaning at the stripping roll 12.

The fiber stripping roll 12 by which the cleaning of the clearer roll Cis effected is suitably formed with a covering of wire fillet as at 76,comparable to that used on card stripping rolls. The elements Iof thewire lillet covering 76 are preferably of the type having a bend or kneeapproximately midway of their length, and an operating 'speed of about350 R. P. M. for a stripping roll about 6" in diameter has been found togive very satisfactory cleaning action.

In order to maintain the stripping roll l2 free of the brous wastecleaned from the clearer rolls C, a brush or dofing roll 78 isjournalled in the fram-e structure 10 below the stripping roll 12, andwith the mounting shaft Si? for this doiiing roll 78 also extendingbeyond the `frame structure lil to carry a pulley member 82 in contactwith the belt connection 2@ from the drive motor 22. This clotting roll73 is driven in the opposite direction to that of the stripping roll 3.2and at approximately tive times the speed of the stripping roll 12 inorder to provide a positive stripping action. The clotting roll 78 isformed with a highly polished body of wood or other suitable materialand is provided with a wire brush-like covering which may be suitablyformed by mounting small nail-like elements as at 84 to project radiallyand arranged spirally around the circumference of the roll from end toend (see Fig. 4). Four or tive lines of these spirally arrangednail-like elements S4 of about lVz inches in length and equally spacedabout 1A inch apart provide very e'lective doiiing action when the brushroll 73 is set so that these elements S4 penetrate about 1A inch intothe wire lillet cove-ring 76 of the stripper roll 12. The straightprojecting forni of the nail-like elements 84 and the highly polishedsurface of the roll body, as mentioned above, as well as the highsurface speed of the doing roll 78, allow the fibrous waste dotted fromthe stripper roll 12 to Vdetach itself easily `from the dotng roll '78for collection in the housing formed by the frame structure 10.

Collection of this doied waste may be accomplished satisfactorily bymerely allowing it to accumulate in the bottom portion of this framestructure 10 as delivered directly from the clotting roll 78, but thewaste may be accommodated to even better effect by providing the framestructure 10 with a hopper portion 86 having sloping sides, as shown inthe drawings, which lead to a pair of condensing rolls S8 that arespring loaded as indicated at 91) in Fig. 2 so as to turn in contactwith each other and are driven through a speed reduction unit as at 92through a belt connection 94 for operation at a relatively slow speed ofabout 5 to l() R. P. M. as compared with the doing and stripping rollspeeds indicated above. As shown by directional arrows in Fig. 2 thesecondensing rolls 88 rotate inwardly and downwardly together so as todraw the dofied fibrous waste from the hopper portion 86 and force it ina very compact form into the lower portion of the housing formed by theframe structure 10, where an access door 96 may be provided for periodicremoval of the collected waste.

The highly condensed form of the brous waste delivered in this mannerfor collection in the bottom housing portion of the frame structure 10makes it possible to accumulate a very substantial amount of the wastebefore any removal is necessary, so that the cleaning device of thepresent invention is thereby rendered capable of operating forrelatively extended periods without any attention to the collected wasteand entirely satisfactory results in this respect may be obtained bymerely allowing the compacted waste to accumulate in the bottom 0f theframe structure 10 as it issues from the condensing rolls 88.Alternatively, a winding pin (not shown) might be arranged in the lowerframe structure -portion to rotate very slowly below the condensingrolls 88 so as to take up the compacted waste in roll form much in theway that a picker lap is formed to collect the fibrous waste in acylindrical mass that might be removed from time to time through asuitably proportioned access door.

The frame structure 10 may also be provided with an access door as at 98in the hood portion 14 to allow access at this point to the various'operating elements contained therein, and the frame structure 10 issuitably rendered mobile by means of wheels or rollers 100 vat the;

bottom of the frame structure adjacent each corner so that the cleaningdevice may be moved easily to a point directly adjacent the spinningapparatus for the cleaning operation. In order to facilitate steering ofthe device during movement from job to job, the rollers such as 100located at the drive motor end of the device may be mounted in swivelcasters (not shown), while the rollers 102 at the other end of themachine should be mounted in straight casters as at 102 so as to roll atright angles to the thrust of the 4operating handle 52 for the indexingmechanism and thereby stabilize the device against rolling when thecleaning operation is in progress.

In addition, the frame structure 10 is preferably equipped at its frontface with a receiving trough for the cleaned clearer rolls C` A suitablereceiving trough for this purpose may `be advantageously arranged asshown in the drawings at 104 by mounting framing rods 106 in sleevebrackets 108 to pivot about vertical axes, these framing rods 108 beingformed with a horizontal reach from the frame structure 10 suicient toaccommodate a folding shelf plate 110 hinged to the frame structure 10as at 112, and with a succeeding vertical reach suflcient to receiveedge sleeve portions of an outer plate or wall member 114. By thisarrangement, the framing rods 106 are adapted for pivoting to a positionat 90 from the front face of the frame structure 10 so that the shelfplate 110 may be folded downwardly to rest on their horizontal reachwhile their vertical reach positions the outer wall member 114 to form atrough for accumulating `a group of the cleaned clearer rolls C. Whennot in use, or when the cleaning device is being moved from one job toanother, the shelf plate 110 may be folded up against the front face ofthe frame :structure 10 so as to allow the framing rods 106 to bepivoted to a retracted position about their vertical mounting axes withthe wall member 114 being arranged to collapse as the framing rods 106are retracted, or being removed and placed so as to be retained againstthe folded shelf plate 110 by the retracted framing rods 106.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes ofillustration only and is not intended to be limited by this descriptionor otherwise except as delined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cleaning device for revolving clearer rolls, said device comprisinga mobile frame structure forming a housing, means disposed externally onsaid frame structure incorporating a rotatable carrier for progressivelyreceiving said clearer rolls in spaced relation and temporarilysupporting said clearer rolls to revolve while supported, a driven fiberstripping roll disposed adjacent and parallel to said rotatable carrierand journalled in said frame structure and exposed from a housing hoodportion thereof for cleaning contact with said clearer rolls whiletemporarily supported on said rotatable carrier, a driven dofng rolldisposed adjacent and parallel to said stripping roll and journalled insaid frame structure internally of the housing formed thereby to run indolfing contact with said stripping roll, hopper means arranged belowsaid dofng roll internally of said frame structure housing, a pair ofcondensing rolls journalled internally of said frame structure belowlthe discharge portion of said hopper means, an access closure at thebottom portion of said frame structure housing below said condensingrolls, means for imposing a friction drag on said clearer rolls while incleaning contact with said stripping roll and thereby causing saidclearer rolls to revolve at a relatively slow rate during cleaning,means for driving said stripping roll at an effective fiber strippingrate and said dolng roll at a faster rate in the opposite direction, andmeans for rotating said condensing roll pair at a relatively slow ratefor picking up doffed fiber from said hopper means and feeding the samedensely compacted to the bottom portion of said frame structure housingfor removal at extended intervals through said access closure.

2. In a cleaning device for revolving clearer rolls, said devicecomprising a frame structure forming a housing, means disposed on saidframe structure incorporating a rotatable carrier for progressivelyreceiving said clearer rolls in spaced relation and temporarilysupporting said clearer rolls to revolve while supported, a driven liberstripping roll disposed adjacent and parallel to said rotatable carrierand journalled in said frame structure for cleaning contact with saidclearer rolls while temporarily supported on said rotatable carrier, adriven doing roll disposed adjacent and parallel to said stripping rolland journalled in said frame structure internally of the housing formedthereby to run in clotting contact with said stripping roll, hoppermeans arranged below said doffing roll internally of said frame:structure housing, a pair of condensing rolls journalled internally onsaid frame structure below the discharge portion of said hopper means,an Iaccess closure at the bottom portion of said frame structure housingbelow said condensing rolls, means for driving said stripping roll at aneffective fiber stripping rate and said dofling roll at a faster rate inthe opposite direction, and means for rotating said condensing roll pair:at a relatively slow rate for picking up dolfed liber from said hoppermeans and feeding the same densely :compacted to `the bottom portion ofsaid frame structure housing for removal at extended intervals throughsaid access closure.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6,135Dyson Feb. 20, 1849 1,451,239 Terrell Apr. 10, 1923 2,385,039 SteinmetzSept. 18, 1945

